Bus Drivers Honored For a Job Well Done

UB bus driver Mike Girdlestone radioed a fellow driver Wednesday in hopes of locating UB student Samantha Avrutine's missing sociology book.

She had left it on a seat of the bus and came to Girdlestone for help. With a smile, Girdlestone told her he had found her book and a bus driver would be bringing it to her shortly.

"If the bus driver didn't find my book, I would have had to buy another one," said Avrutine, a freshman occupational therapy major. "I really appreciate his help."

Avrutine wasn't the only person on Wednesday to recognize the kind deeds of UB bus drivers.

The Wilkeson Hall Council, along with campus parking and transportation's adjudication/busing coordinator Christopher Austin and assistant director of public safety Maria Wallace, named this past Wednesday "Bus Driver Appreciation Day" and gathered around the Lee Loop bus stop to greet the morning drivers.

Wallace said members of the Wilkeson Hall Council approached her with the idea of having a day indebted to the drivers.

"The credit goes to the Wilkeson Hall Council," said Wallace. "Being a bus driver is a monotonous job and can get kind of hairy at night. It is so nice to see students wanting to show their appreciation and give back."

All members of the Wilkeson Council, along with Wallace and Austin, met early in the morning with gift baskets to be handed out to the drivers as they arrived at the bus stop.

"We took a lot of time to make these baskets," said Jack Niejadlik, a freshman business major and vice president of the Wilkeson Hall Council. "We shopped and picked out what we would put into them. We spent a whole afternoon and night putting everything together."

The 35 baskets were bundled up in shiny pastel-colored plastic wrap and stuffed with snack foods, candy, pens and pencils, film, hand lotion and drinks.

Girdlestone was especially excited about the food.

"This should help me stay awake for the night," he said with a laugh.

Gene Robbins, an alternating full-time and relief bus driver of five years, said driving a bus can be difficult because the shifts are long, and if students give the drivers attitude, it can make them edgy.

"Most students usually say 'thank you' when they get off my bus," said Robbins. "But it's still nice to see students setting aside a special day for us."

According to Wallace, approximately 2.5 million riders use the UB bus services each year, including students, faculty, staff and visitors. Shuttles run from 7:15 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. on weekdays and all day on weekends, saving students the stress of finding a close parking spot.

"Drivers work day in and day out getting us back and forth to class," said Wilkeson Hall Council treasurer David Spira. "We felt that it was our turn to do something for them."

Council secretary Megan Noyes said she was proud to take part in the event.

"It's a great feeling to make someone feel more like a part of the community," said Noyes.

For about an hour, bus drivers arrived at the bus stop to a group of smiling basket donors. Some even had their pictures taken with their gifts.

Clad in a suit and tie for the occasion was Wilkeson Hall Council President Stephen Papas, who said he was excited to be doing something for the bus drivers.

"We hope to make this a start to a new tradition at UB," said Papas.

Cedric Townes, a bus driver of 11 years, said in all his time working for the bus services, no one has ever recognized his job in such a special way.

"I feel very happy and good inside," said Townes. "This has definitely made my day."